Lost tourist hiker missing for 18 days found alive

Ms Goossens children Jantje and Fritz celebrate the news of her survival.

Spanish police say missing Dutch tourist, Mary Anne Goossens has been found alive 18 days after she fell in a hole while walking in mountains in southern Spain.

A group of mountaineers found the 48 year-old woman caught among boulders close to the source of the Chillar River outside the resort town of Nerja early on Wednesday, according to Civil Guard spokesman Hector Ortega said.

The mountaineers were unable to rescue Goossens, but left her food and clothing before alerting regional emergency services.

Ortega said Goossens had some food when she set out walking. Water from a nearby spring also helped her survive.